Newbie

Hi. I found this forum after listening to binaural beats through headphones, too loudly I now realise!!
I have suffered from Tinnitus for as long as I can remember and have significant hearing loss in both ears. It was only a few years ago that I became aware that it isn't normal for everyone to hear the awful noises - I'm 56 years old! Stupidly I do know that loud noise affects hearing/tinnitus yet while I was trying to relax listening to the beats I forgot! Now 24 hours later I can still hear what sounds like the beats plus much worse general tinnitus sounds with nasty muffled overtones!

Please does anyone have any experience to share with me or suggestions as to what I can do to help?

Could this be a temporary worsening or am I likely to have caused more permanent damage?

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance for your responses.

 

HI @BBEVERLEY

Please read the post below and then click on the links and read more posts that you might find helpful. I advise you not to use headphones even at low volume.

All the best
Michael

New to tinnitus what to do?

The onset of tinnitus can be difficult for a lot of people to cope with. It comes in many forms and intensities and no two people experience it the same. When it is mild, moderate or occasionally heard in quiet surroundings it is usually not too bothersome and a person can go about their daily affairs quite happily and unperturbed by this anomaly. This type of tinnitus usually comes on gradually and in some cases it’s associated with hearing loss, as we get older and the usual treatment is the wearing of hearing aid/s.

Tinnitus can be also be caused by an underlying medical problem, build up of ear wax (cerumen). Jaw problems. Some medications and even irregular blood flow through the body causing Pulsatile tinnitus. One of the most common causes is exposure to loud noise or music that has been played at high levels that can affect the cochlea in the ear. This type of tinnitus can be loud, intrusive and very debilitating. Often leaving a person at a loss and not knowing which way to turn to escape the noise. I fully understand how difficult it can be for someone new to this condition to take this in and believe it to be factual.

If you are having difficulty sleeping you might have been advised to try a nighttime sedation or an ant-depressant to help cope with the stress and anxiety that often accompanies tinnitus. These medications can be helpful especially in the early stages and they don’t have to be taken long term, so it’s something to consider. They can act as a safety net so you don’t become too down.

A referral to ENT will usually be recommended. In the mean time try to keep occupied with something you like doing, as it helps to distract the brain from focusing on the tinnitus. Avoiding quiet rooms during the day by playing low-level non-intrusive music such as classical in the background can be helpful.

At night a sound machine placed by the bedside playing nature sounds or listening to favourite mp3 tracks or Cds are good. Keeping the volume just below the tinnitus is ideal and set to play throughout the night until morning. It takes time to get used to sound therapy so please stay with it. Whilst in a deep sleep it supplies the brain and auditory system with sound enrichment. Over time the tinnitus is pushed further into the background helping to make its perception less noticeable during waking hours.

In the early stages of tinnitus, if one chooses not to use sound enrichment sleeping can sometimes be difficult and there is also the chance of the tinnitus becoming more intrusive as sleeping in a quiet room can allow the brain to increase it’s own background activity. In doing so it will also increase the tinnitus making it more intrusive during waking hours.

There is a tendency for newbies to try and cure their tinnitus which is quite understandable. There are many remedies, treatments and concoctions out there. Some affordable others quite expensive. I am not averse to trying to help myself but want to say, there are charlatans and con artists eager to relieve someone in distress of their money so please be careful. Even tried and tested treatments I wouldn’t recommend a person try until they have been seen at ENT. Often a person after been seen at ENT is advised to wait a while.

Many people habituate to tinnitus within six months sometimes a little longer and it has been known to go away. The ear is a very delicate organ and many Doctors prefer to wait before investigating further and then suggesting a treatment. If other problems are experienced such as: pain in the ears, deafness, dizziness or balance problems this is of more concern and a person will usually been seen quicker.

It is best to have a word with your GP if you’re feeling stressed or depressed in any way, as previously mentioned there are treatments available. Leaving things alone until your ENT advises you of the next step is the best thing to do in my opinion. Don’t try to fix anything or throw large sums of money at treatments that you have no way of knowing whether you’ll get any relief.

I advise not to listen to audio through headphones even at low volume especially if the tinnitus was "noise induced" and keep away from loud sounds. By all means go out but anywhere that plays loud music then wearing noise-reducing earplugs, the type that has attenuation filters would be a good idea. 18 to 30 decibels reduction should suffice. While reducing external sound they will not impair sound quality.

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-a-personal-view.18668/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/hyperacusis-as-i-see-it.19174/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/is-positivity-important.23150/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/tinnitus-and-the-negative-mindset.23705/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/acquiring-a-positive-mindset.23969/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-ent-doctor-and-hearing-therapist.24047/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/inspiration.22894/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/can-tinnitus-counselling-help.22366/

https://www.tinnitustalk.com/threads/the-habituation-process.20767/

 

Thank you very much for your speedy response which is very helpful. I am pleased to share that things have settled and reverted to the level that I have lived with for years and years - I would never have dreamed I would be grateful for those sounds in my head, but I gave myself a real fright! But I did learn through it and will be forever cautious in future.

Thank you

 

Hi @BBEVERLEY

I am pleased that things have turned around for you. My advice is to never use any type of headphones even at low volume. In addition to this, if you are careful of being around loud sounds at night clubs, concerts etc by wearing "noise reducing" earplugs - this doesn't mean standing near loud speakers all night or going to such venues too often, then you should be ok.

Take care and I wish you well.
Michael

 

Hi Bev,

I am sorry to hear that youre experiencing a worsening in your t.

How recent was your latest exposure to loud sound? steroids? It still could be a spike, hence my suggestion.

what caused your hearing loss?

Im a bit like you in that, I suspect I used to hear a very mild form of what I hear now for a very long time. I thought it was normal, and I quite liked it as it reminded me of the sounds I would hear when camping. it wasn't till the volume was dialled up, combined with my ENTs response, that caused panic, and off I went on my tinnitus roller coaster ride. (I have habituated now = touch wood)

I have written elsewhere on the forum about receiving adipose derived stem cells last year in Australia. I still have t, but it has dramatically improved my hyperacusis and reactive component of my t (which I think is all part of having h). I don't seem to have the big spikes I used to (better touch wood again). You could consider this.

Other things that have caught my interest were LLLT. There are threads on here, so I wont expand.

I would also look into taking nicotinamide riboside, which I continue to take. In a study I read, it has been shown to be otoprotective.

Easier said than done, but do what you can to calm down your CNS. That means getting plenty of sleep, relaxation, etc. Lots of ideas on this forum.